Archive for the ‘Aircraft’ Category

War seems to be good business these days. Maybe that is why we see bona fide fighter aircraft being sold online as if they were only Matchbox toys. Although it cannot be the case, one could think simply pulling out a credit card and paying a few million dollars will place a Eurofighter Typhoon in your driveway.

As all who have taken basic marketing know, there are several roles in the purchasing process. For example, we have influencers and decision-makers, among others. That then begs the question for which role was the low-tech game Blue Sky One designed? And, it is not the only game at the web site. Strangely, there are several. Might they be for the children of evil despots looking to buy planes for their governments? Might they be for a President who enjoys playing war? Regardless, The Distillery is having a rough time determining what children’s games are doing in the middle of a web site designed to sell weapons of destruction. (Or, in the case of some opinions–weapons of democracy.)

That strange finding aside, we do discover quite a number of superb Typhoon videos at the web site. Several are essentially small movie productions (e.g., Nothing Comes Close), and are quite excellent. It seems the international arms trade is not to be left behind as the internet and online marketing mature. Almost all of the videos are of significant size so be patient as you wait for them to download and play. However, each is also offered in low- and high-bandwidth versions. Enjoy.

One kind reader of SippinWhisky’s Distillery has commented on the apparent love of jets here. Yes, The Distillery loves jets, but that’s far from the complete story. Highlighted here are many products one will never see in other advertising mediums, especially those offered to the general public. Factors creating that sparcity include very small target markets, complex products, traditionally expensive advertising costs, etc.

However, the internet and broadband have changed the means and costs by which information about very expensive and relatively rare products can be promoted to consumers, even those not likely ever to be customers. Thus, the frequency of postings about jets. That explained…

We have the Dassault Falcon 7X. You will not see this airplane advertised on television. However, it may well have been included in the in-flight magazine for the Concorde when it was still flying. Maybe ads for it are seen in some first class sections of the world’s finer airlines. Regardless, you are no longer left grounded simply because you do not have access to any particular promotional mediums.

The Distillery has been found to be lacking once again. There are some products which are never considered for inclusion here. It’s not because they are disliked, it’s just they are never considered. That’s when serendipity comes to the rescue.

What about evacuation to the hospital of your choice if you are injured or sick while on vacation? Does your Visa, MasterCard, or American Express card cover that? No. Even more, as we have seen with recent world events, even the American Embassy is often found lacking. That’s when MedJetAssist flies to your aid. (Why do I have visions of Mighty Mouse flying around in my head right now? Oh yea,… Here I come to save the day! Mighty Mouse is on his way!)

MedJetAssist is an emergency medical air evacuation insurance service which operates around the globe. (Great idea!) The company will fly you to any hospital in the world and also cover repatriation (if you are overseas), as long as you’re at least 150 miles from home. The service has even caught the attention of Fox News. Pricing? Very reasonable considering the service offered.

The stereotypical image of a Cessna that most of us carry around in our memories is that of a single-engine putt-putt plane flying just above our heads. However, Cessna offers planes far more advanced, including some very fine jets. (As I recall from a Wall Street Journal article many years ago, Cessna decided to compete with Learjet in that particular market segment. I may well be mistaken, but one of the main selling points was a lower price point for an equivalent plane.)

Like Learjet, Cessna understands that buying a plane — single-engine prop or two-engine jet — is not at all like buying a car. We do not see Learjet or Cessna ads on TV. Neither is exactly a mass market product. However, there are some superb Cessna promotional videos online. Let’s have a look at a few of them.

One more thing — as another college buddy (J.K.M.) said long ago, don’t ever buy an airplane that doesn’t have a bathroom. I don’t know about you, but that certainly seems to be very wise advice when one considers the alternatives. (Uh-oh! We forgot the bottle!!!)

Can anything or anyone save Airbus? Just in case you do not regularly watch the business news, there currently is a race on between Airbus and Boeing to build the better medium-sized passenger jet. For Boeing, it is the previously featured Dreamliner. For Airbus, it is the A350 XWB (extra wide body). And in both cases, the futures of the firms fly on the backs of both building the passenger planes and finding buyers.

But also for both, buyers typically come before the first production plane rolls off the assembly line. And that’s where Airbus is now encountering troubles as large as its A380 Navigator and its unmistakable super-duper-sized-transport plane, the Beluga. Even within the past several weeks, we have seen heads rolling at Airbus over the delayed production of the A350. Conversely, Boeing has already pre-sold several hundreds of its Dreamliner. That is why Airbus finds itself in a nosedive some doubt from which it can regain altitude.

Airbus’ woes are echoed throughout its web site. Several promotional videos at the Airbus site do not play. Others lead to the dreaded “404 page not found.” Conversely, Boeing provides more video of its Dreamliner than even The Distillery cares to watch.

The bottom line: If Airbus’ troubles with its A350 are half as pronounced as the problems with the firm’s corporate web site, place your seats in an upright position, lean forward with your head down to your knees, and prepare for a crash landing.

As anyone who has not been locked away without any exposure to current events knows, North Korea is right now in the middle of test-firing its newly developed missiles. We also know these events have created great consternation both in the White House and around the world. So what’s country to do?

Quite frankly, to my astonishment The Distillery has opened a few doors typically closed to the general public. This 6.5 minute video showcasing America’s Star Trek-like response to any long-range missile threats from North Korea is certainly intended to be propaganda. It simply can not be mere coincidence or happenstance that just today I received an e-mail informing me that this video was now available. Therefore, by showing it here, let it not ever be said that The Distillery hasn’t done its part to protect America’s [fast-eroding] freedoms.

But I do have one question: Just how operational is this technology? I guess is it is very operational. Might any North Korean missiles that supposedly self-destructed soon after their launches actually have met a far different fate than that reported in the mainstream media? Hmmm….

One word comes to mind to describe this ad: Elegance. But, just what is being advertised? China Airlines or the Boeing 747-400? If my suspicions are correct, and seeing what many other firms are now doing, it is a loving and profitable relationship.

It is formally called co-branding. And quite frankly, this is one co-branding alliance that has produced a beautiful online marketing campaign. I love the option of sky colors. The music is perfect–both theme- and volume-wise. And, many of the still images are gorgeous. (Who did this ad? I wanna know!)

Can you spell O-l-y-m-p-i-c-s? Convince me otherwise than this being a ramp-up to the upcoming Olympic games in China. After seeing this ad, and even knowing the pleasures JAL, I’m definitely flying China Airlines and the 747-400 when given the opportunity.

A pointer: Do not click “Next” too quickly or you may miss some of the still images. And last, I love the tagline used in this promo for a magnificent plane: Still a miracle. Indeed, as airliners go, it is.

Microsoft forever continues to play catch-up. Fellow WordPress blogger, Scobleizer – Microsoft Geek Blogger, commented that Google’s newly announced web-based spreadsheet service might not fit his bill because…well, in his own words:

Also, I’ve learned that the Internet sometimes goes away (like every time I’m on a plane) so keeping files locally is vitally important to most businesspeople who can’t rely on the Internet for their vital data.

Isn’t Microsoft’s corporate headquarters in Seattle? And, wasn’t Boeing’s corporate headquarters in Seattle until only a few years ago? Would not such worldwide-located and globally important firms know a little something about each other, especially if the knowledge is not a tip-top-secret threat to national security? Don’t their employees inter-marry? (By the way, kudos to Bill Gates for marrying a fellow Duke alumnae/i.) Didn’t Scoble think to invite any of the likely remaining Boeing employees to his upcoming barbeque? Then why doesn’t an apparently well-spoken, well-traveled, and highly intelligent Microsoft employee know his above statement is not entirely correct? In fact, it’s dead wrong.

I guess it’s up to the The Distillery to correct him–and remind Microsoft it still owes its blogger an Office Suite for a needed favor provided to one of its sales reps ten years ago. (No, I never forget being cheated, especially when it would cost Microsoft essentially nothing to make good on its promise. And again, need Microsoft wonder why it was recently surveyed as being one of the most untrustworthy of corporations? Again, “Duh!”) Robert Scoble, meet Connexion by Boeing. And with that tip from The Distillery, I’m certain we’ll not hear any more excuses for why something did not get finished because you were on a cross-country flight, eh? In fact, you can sign up here.

(Note: Robert, this is not at all intended to be a personal attack on you, but very much so one on Microsoft. I trust you can understand both my ire for being cheated by a Microsoft sales rep, but also my immense respect for you. I also understand my invite to your barbeque “got lost in the mail.” No hard feelings, I hope. In fact, I’ll make sure you get an invite to my fall oyster roast here on the east coast.)

The Gripen Fighter (13 MB Mpeg) is the first of the new generation, multi-role combat aircraft to enter service. Using the latest available technology it is capable of performing an extensive range of air-to-air and air-to-surface operational missions and employing the latest weapons. Gripen is designed to meet the demands of current and future threats, while at the same time meeting strict requirements for flight safety, reliability, training efficiency and low operating costs. Gripen is in service with the Swedish and Czech Republic Air Forces and has also been ordered by the South African and Hungarian Air Forces.

Gripen International is pleased to present its award-winning Gripen video Controlling the Battlefield (37 MB Mpeg). At this year’s U. S. International Film and Video Festival’s annual awards competition, the Gripen video won two Certificate for Creative Excellence awards in the ‘Audio’ and ‘Advertising, Sales, Sales Promotion and Marketing’ categories. The festival, founded in 1968, is one of the world’s leading international events devoted exclusively to the yearly selection and recognition of outstanding Business, Television, Documentary, Entertainment, Industrial, and Informational Productions. The Gripensoundtrack is sung by Yana Mangi Sundgren.

Controlling The Battlefield in Quicktime (27 MB) and Windows Media (29 MB). (Addendum: This short promotional film is as good as anything one might see from Hollywood–or, Bollywood.)

We [Gripen] are also proud to present our brand new video Controlling The Machine (48 MB Mpeg). Launched at this year’s Farnborough International Air show in the UK, this innovative and graphically stunning new product presentation, allows the viewer to get up close and personal with the Gripen fighter. Featuring a virtual guided tour of the world’s first new generation aircraft in-service by Gripen test pilot Magnus Olsson, the viewer gets to see and understand how the modern design and technology inherent in the Gripen, makes it the most advanced and effective aircraft in its class.

Some industries get all the glamor and press. Computers come to mind first with seemingly everyone anxiously looking forward to any new offerings from Microsoft or Apple. But what about other industries with new product announcements that are no less important–and possibly more so? So although it is long at 37 minutes, this is how it is done in the airline industry, with a Boeing announcement that its new fuel-efficient 787 Dreamliner has been approved for sale to potential buyers.

As noted, the video above is quite long. And given it is Friday with everyone trying to do as little as possible in as little time as possible, you might instead enjoy this “trendsetter video” (5 minutes) that provides an overall description of the Dreamliner.

And should you still just be killing time until 5 PM, then take another five minutes and view the Dreamliner’s interior. I do suggest you at least view this last video. Significant thought and design have gone into what is indeed a very different looking interior. Both inside and out, the Dreamliner is a beautiful aeroplane. I can only wonder what the Wright Brothers might say if they could see it.

Started twelve years ago, fmx has grown into a leading event for digital creation. And it is still growing, attracting visitors from all over Europe as well as speakers from all over the world.

fmx is a platform for Animation, Effects, Games and Postproduction where experts exchange ideas, experiences and insights with visitors who share and understand their goals and aspirations. Production companies, animation studios, effect houses, game developers and postproduction facilities present this year’s finest achievements. Users, researchers, scientists, hard- and software vendors, debate new technologies and practical application. Creators, financial backers and distributors get together, exchange ideas and pitch projects. Graduates and freelancers meet companies looking for new talent. Artists and producers, decision makers and job starters, creators, managers, distributors and people who work in TV share their knowledge and learn from each other and celebrate with each other.